1 Chronicles 12:18-32

18 Then the Spirit covered 'Amasai the chief commander, and he said: "We are yours, David; on your side, son of Yishai! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers; for your God helps you." David welcomed them and made them senior officers.
19 From M'nasheh some defected to David when he was about to go with the P'lishtim to fight against Sha'ul; but they ended up not helping them; because the rulers of the P'lishtim, after consultation, sent David away, saying, "He will defect to his master Sha'ul at the cost of our heads."
20 As he was on his way to Ziklag, those who defected to him from M'nasheh included 'Adnach, Yozavad, Y'dia'el, Mikha'el, Yozavad, Elihu and Tziltai, commanders of thousands from M'nasheh.
21 They helped David against the raiding band, for they were all strong, brave men who were commanders in the army.
22 Indeed, reinforcements to assist David reached him daily, until there was a great army, like the army of God.
23 Following are the numbers of those who came armed for war to David in Hevron, in order to transfer to him the kingdom of Sha'ul, according to what ADONAI had said.
24 The descendants of Y'hudah bearing shields and spears numbered 6,800, armed for war.
25 Of the descendants of Shim'on, strong, brave men for war, there were 7,100.
26 Of the descendants of Levi, there were 4,600.
27 Y'hoyada was the leader of the house of Aharon, and with him were 3,700;
28 also Tzadok, a young man, strong and brave, with twenty-two commanders from his father's family.
29 Of the descendants of Binyamin the kinsmen of Sha'ul, there were 3,000; for up until then, the majority of them had remained loyal to the house of Sha'ul.
30 Of the descendants of Efrayim, there were 20,800 strong, brave men, well known in their fathers' families.
31 Of the half-tribe of M'nasheh, 18,000 were designated by name to come and make David king.
32 Of the descendants of Yissakhar, men who understood the times and knew what Isra'el ought to do, there were 200 leaders, and all their kinsmen were under their command.

1 Chronicles 12:18-32 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 12

This chapter gives an account of those that came to David at different times, and joined and assisted him both before the death of Saul, and when persecuted by him, and after he was made king of Judah in Hebron, and before he was king of all Israel, in order to it; of the Benjaminites that came to him when at Ziklag, 1Ch 12:1-7 of the Gadites that came to him when in the hold, 1Ch 12:8-15 of some of Judah and Benjamin, who came to him in the same place, 1Ch 12:16-18, and of the Manassites at the time he came with the Philistines against Saul, 1Ch 12:19-22 and the number of the several tribes are given, that came to him at Hebron to make him king over all Israel, 1Ch 12:23-40.

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.